


Rivalry Relived

by SunMoonDreamer



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: Gen, I am so biased :), One Shot, REALLY wanted to write a fic where Apollo gets to be AWESOME, Sun is best boi, WOOHOO LET'S GO!!!!, decided to join in on apollo appreciation week, mostly the first two, no beta we die like men, the rest appear at the end, the sun and snake monster FIGHT, wanted to practise writing a fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26482519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunMoonDreamer/pseuds/SunMoonDreamer
Summary: Python has reformed. He has returned and decimated a city.Apollo must fight against this beast and banish him to Tartarus once again.
Relationships: Apollo & Artemis (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Apollo & Dionysus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Apollo & Hermes (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Kudos: 27





	Rivalry Relived

Quiet. It was ominously quiet.

Stray stones clattered from tilted towers, broken in two with cracks marring the surface. Craters dotted the roads, metallic contraptions upturned from where they had once stood. Posts were bent, crooked where pressure had overwhelmed them.

A large shadow shifted itself. Large coils moved against concrete, impossibly thick scales scarring even the hardest of surfaces. Slit eyes, a poisonous amber, stared with cold intent. They desired a new prey to hunt. Noxious breath plumed from a gaping maw, lined with fangs and a forked tongue.

This beast, this monster, was bored.

It sought for more. More destruction, another battle.

Pulsing energy filled the air, snapping remaining eyes up to the apex of a once glorious structure.

The monster hissed with desire, anticipation. At last, at long last! His truest antithesis had arrived.

'Apollo.'

Golden eyes, burning and bright, glared down from their place on a divine visage. Hair woven from fire, tresses long and silken, flared with motions akin to flames. The chiton barely brushed the knees of long powerful legs, bound loosely at a thin waist. Sandals, as golden as him, conformed to his nimble feet while a sun-kissed wreath of laurels adorned fiery locks.

There was no doubt to all that Apollo was divine, for no mortal could so perfectly embody sun and light as he.

His lips parted. His voice, siren-like in song with incredible softness, was cool and commanding. Few could withstand the potency in those simple words. But the serpent, filled with excitement, welcomed the chills Apollo's voice sent along his scales.

'I see you have returned, Python.'

The narrowing of the god's eyes made the beast grin evermore. 'And what of you, _Lord_ Apollo? You return now, when the world is at its bleakest.'

He did not answer. Raising the arch held in his hand, an arrow shimmering to the string, the god drew it back with swiftness. The tip caught flame, small and flickering but capable of a mighty inferno.

'I am the sun. I always return.'

And so, it begins.

Python could still recall their last battle, back within the caverns of Delphi. Oh, the thrill and rush that pounded through him as the golden god fought, it was unlike anything he'd experienced before. Finally, there was someone worthy of being his opponent.

And when Apollo had struck true with those arrows? Hate was mixed with utter ecstasy as the beast took his final breath. The sight of the golden divinity, wounded yet still so tall, was one that remained with him. All Python had ever thought of as he steadily reformed in Tartarus was defeating Apollo.

Nothing else mattered. Not Delphi, not world domination, nothing.

Only Apollo.

The god was born from light, he represented it. And mortals often equated it with hope. Therefore, Python sought to crush him.

Let the mortals despair. Let the world fall into darkness.

The aftermath was of little concern to him.

He _will_ be the one to destroy it all.

'Let us see who Nike has blessed this time.' the beast hissed.

TWANG! The arrow flew. It struck the hide with force, flames charring scales. Nimble feet found open air, gravity calling him down. Knees bent upwards, supple spine arching forward.

Python lunged, fangs bared to strike. Apollo struck the air with his soles and twisted past. The beast lashed his tail. The divinity found footing on the scales.

A ferocious dance of battle, of wills, of light and darkness.

Python, monstrous Python, danced with the remnants of cities. Throwing once tall buildings, crumpled vehicles, even lifeless corpses. He cared not for what or whom needed to be sacrificed.

He recalled the way the god was crushed within his coils, the way bones cracked under the skin. He remembered the way light had blinded his vision and banished him to Tartarus.

Not this time. He will not give up.

The world will be consumed by darkness.

Apollo, celestial Apollo, danced with the grace of gods. Motions caught in a divine rhythm, a song that left the lips, touching hearts. He knew what and whom would have to be sacrificed.

He recalled the way the beast recoiled from his arrows, the way the ground shook as he fell dead. He remembered when darkness threatened to steal his sight but failed to choke his flames.

Perhaps again this time. He will not give up.

The world will be blanketed in light.

Gold streaked through the air, shattering the mist of poison about the dark mountain. Fire lit the sky as arrows showered the beast. Coils writhed and lashed, hisses akin to enraged growls.

A young soul, born of divine and mortal with eyes of the sky, cried out. 'Lord Apollo, watch out!'

Their warning was in vain.

Fangs embedded into flesh, golden ichor staining enamel. He unleashed a scream but clenched teeth cut it short. Python found amusement in jerking the god about, focused on where his teeth tore against muscle. Ichor was all he tasted and found it sickeningly sweet.

Apollo drew his bow, undeterred. Another arrow flew, striking the eye. Python roared as it struck. The god forced open the jaws, unhooking the bone from his form.

He made to put distance between them but the monster's tail lashed. Another cry as it slammed his side. Wind whistled past divine ears, lungs robbed of breath. Python let out a triumphant cackle.

 **CRASH!** Clouds of debris obscured him from view but that was fine. Apollo coughed, drawing in air to his deprived lungs. His arms shook for but a moment as he lifted himself from the crater. His legs stumbled from the burden of standing. Within a few heartbeats, the wounds had sewn themselves together. All that remained was the ichor soaking his form.

His younger self would have wailed louder, writhed more under the pain. Now, he was seasoned, millennia older than that newborn divinity he had once been.  
Destruction would not come as easily.

He notched another arrow into the bow's string.

The cloud burst apart, flaming spears lashing at the scaly hide. Apollo launched into the fray once more, eyes blazing with purpose. This, Python welcomed again. He expected no less from the only being capable of killing him.

Their dance, their feud, their battle, continued. Those still breathing and of conscious mind watched in awe. Mortal, divine, it mattered not who was amongst them. All were fixed on the showdown of grand forces, of light and darkness.

Ichor was spilled. Blood was spilled.

Cries tore from a divine mouth. Roars bellowed from a monstrous maw.

Arrows broke scales. Fangs broke flesh.

Solar fire burned the beast. Poison tainted the god.

Apollo never let up. Neither did Python.

'It appears we have reached a stalemate.' the serpent mused.

He paid no mind to the scales torn from his hide nor the loss of his eye.

'So we have.' the divinity muttered.

He paid no mind to the half-healed wounds nor the impending weakness of his limbs.

Apollo raised his bow, one last arrow notched in the string. 'May Nike decide whose strike is true.'

Python bared his lethal fangs, poison dripping from the maw. 'May she decide indeed.'

Neither tore their eyes away. They stared, keen to the other's movements. So much as a twitch of the eye would trigger the final strike.

TWANG! The arrow flew one last time.

HISS! The beast lunged.

 **SNAP!** His laurel wreath was thrown from his head

 **KATHUNK!** His arrow struck the heart.

Python writhed, throwing his head at Apollo. A hand slammed against the chin. Fire with the strength of the sun burned a hole straight through the head.

The beast's tail swung one last time.

**CRACK!** The god was thrown violently to the ground.

Both lay still where they had fallen. None dared to approach them, fearing one was not dead.

Apollo wheezed, gasping for breath. His hand weakly brushed the side where he'd been struck. Fingers twitched as they found the telltale signs of shattered bones. He allowed it to drop back onto the ground, still limp on his side. Fatigue weighed him down, adding to the difficulty of breathing. Mainly because he had several broken ribs.

His eyes were closed, senses focused elsewhere. Python was still, likely dead. Apollo hoped he was. He wasn't sure if he could muster the strength to throw another blow. But Nike had yet to appear. His heart dropped as he contemplated the thought that the battle was not over.

'Apollo!'

The weak fighter twitched, opening his golden eyes. He sighted three figures fast approaching and a fourth miles behind them.

A goddess with silver moons for eyes exuded an immediate concern. Another clad in a winged helmet and sandals ran with fear. The third had vines wrapped about his head, mauve fruits shrivelling from a desperation Apollo failed to comprehend at the moment.

Artemis. Hermes. Dionysus.

His family.

'By the Fates, you look terrible.' his sister grunted as she reached his side. She sounded annoyed but he could see her eyes told a much different story, clouded by fear?

Apollo hissed as her hands pressed against his chest, right where his ribs were broken. Warmth flowed from her, working to restore the shattered pieces beneath. A hand clasped his, following the arm up to see a very scared Hermes.

'You're not going to vanish, right?' his little brother asked, Dionysus mirroring the fear from over Hermes' shoulder.

He said nothing, not trusting his voice. Instead, he squeezed his brother's hand and offered a weak smile. This did little to ease their concerns but he could sense the fear waning.

Purple eyes left his to peer at the gigantic corpse of the snake that the fourth figure, Nike, was hovering above. What she was doing, Apollo couldn't tell.

'Dang.' Dionysus had always been eloquent in such a way. 'When you're better, we're all going drinking.'

'At least wait until the mess has been taken care of.' Artemis huffed, still focused on healing Apollo's ribs. He was faintly aware of the three conversing above him and allowed the words to float past, simply content to hear their voices.

Nike whistled, shrill and piercing, with a powerful flap of her wings to land beside them. She knelt down and gently placed her palm atop his head.

'Light has prevailed over darkness', the goddess of victory smiled, 'rest now.'

Apollo let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. It was over. His eyes closed and allowed himself to regain strength. Nike's hand left his physical form and the sound of rustling feathers noted her departure. He didn't so much as stir when Artemis opted to lift him into her arms - she was more than strong enough and he trusted her.

For the rest of the way back to Olympus, Apollo found comfort in the presence of his sister and younger brothers.

**Author's Note:**

> Did little to no editing for this and improvised on the spot. Surprised it turned out as decent as it did but I really wanted to write a fight scene so why not?


End file.
